Building construction



p 1936- A. M. M LELLAN 2,053,487

BUiLDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Marh 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept.8, 1936 PATENT OFFICE nmnmo cous'rnuc'non Arthur M. McLellan, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application March 4,

' 16Clalms.

My invention relates to the construction of light weight and strongsteel buildingsanol has for one of its objects the provision of abuilding which is proof against fire, wind storms, termites, earthquakesand other destructive forces.

Another and important object oi the invention is the provision of asteel-frame for moderate sized dwellings particularly, which may be par-'tially fabricated in a manufacturing plant and subsequently moved tothe site where it may be uulckly and accurately erected without exerciseof more than ordinary skill, and which frame e being erected will becomeself-centering, -eelt leveling and also self-plumbing.

ll'he present invention makes it possible to provide a building in whichthe roof and side walls are integral with the main struts or columns oithe vertical walls continuing over the root areas. This feature makesfor greater strength and ease of assembly.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new constructionand method for erectiou whereby all materials for an average sizedwelling may be transported to the site in a very 25 low loads with theirame being transported in the form of partially'fabricated girderswhich embody both a side-wall joist and a root rafter.

in keeping with the objects of the invention the other members of theframe comprise a multi- 39 plicity of short accurately shapedpro-manufactut-ed members which act as highly accurate means for causingthe frame to become self-alining.

The short members are so arranged and menulectured with respect to theaforesaid girders that there is only one way in which they can be put inplace and that is the right way. One of the salient features of thisinvention makes it possible for an amateur to erect a complete framewith the use of only one tool. Where the structure is large or ofcomplex architecture electric welding at certain points is the onlyother fastoning required.

Nails, bolts, screws and like fasteners are not required by reason ofthis invention and in keep- .ing with the present trend forbetterhousing it is an object of the invention to provide a home low infirst cost and which represents a good loan by reason of the fact thatit will be in the best of condition even after the loan isabsorbed.

Buildings in conformity with this invention are at once practical andpossible by reason oi the fact that they may beboth ore-manufactured anderected singly or in quantities at a moderate initial investment on thepart of the manufac- 55 turer. Also this invention is an economic adven1935, Serial No. 9,221

(on. 189 1l tage in that the material used is standard smallsize roundsteel stock such as can be obtained ffrom any mill or local dealer.Transportation of the partially manufactured structure to the site isfacilitated by reason of the fact that the 5 largest parts or girdersare only a fraction of an inch in thickness and yet when two or more ofthese are later interconnected according to this invention they providea col of equally as great strength as if they had been fully fabl0uricated in a large mill. The invention permits of using the same partsin partitions, floors, fences, -garden walls-and the like as are used inthe outside walls and roof.

It is another object of the invention to prol5 vide a frame to which anyform of outside and inside wall may be added with ease. It is commonlybelieved that lath or wire and stucco walls are the most economical andaccordingly the its vention is directed to shame to which building at};felt, wire, and the like may be actually sewed' to the frame with theuse of fine wire. Resistance to quakes and windstorms is best promotedby having the plaster and stucco walls as a substantially integral partotthe frame.

Air space insulation between the walls is an other object of theinvention and general miit= ability for economic yearn-aroundair-conditioning, Also the space between walls may be free from I"fire-stops" as there is nothing to burn. g

Obviously such construction makesfor easy installation of air-ducts,conduits. piping and the like as well as permitting the newer practiceof warming the inner walls of a building by first conducting heated airover the surface thereof 35 before same is allowed to directly enter therooms.

It is believed that conditions indicate the advantage of a buildingwhich may be added to from time to time and to which other wiring orplumb ing may be easily added. Such is among the 40 objects of theinvention. In this connection it will be understood that the usualdwelling of appreciable'architectural skill is in reality a plu- 4rality of small interconnected units. The present invention makes itpossible to constructeach 45 unit or wing, or even each room as aunitary part or structure; all of which may be interconnected to providean inexpensive but extremely rigid building. I i

' In carrying out the invention the only dimension to be known tothemanufacturer is the wall height and roof pitch. From this the thingirders are fashioned. These girders are provided in a novel manner withshouldersv and recesses on which, or in which .all other parts must beposl f tioned and thus the girders, which are accurately tho easilymanufactured insure great accuracy and ease of erection.

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings in which: 7

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a section of a building wallconstructed according to the invention; this view showing all parts ashaving been interconnected and shows the same girder spacing as is usedfor ordinary wood joists.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the diagonal or load-supporting bracesshown in the shape in which it is manufactured prior to being put inplace.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side view of one of the girders showing itbefore the other parts are applied by which it is so incorporated in thestructure. In this View the girder is shown as extending integrally intothe roof area where it is extended by another piece to which it issecured by means hereinafter more specifically described.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the horizontal braces or links just asit comes from the manufacturer.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the side walls, roof and one end wall of astructure erected according to this invention.

Figure 7 is a horizontal-sectional view of two adjacent walls of anybuilding constructed by this invention and showing the manner in whichwalls at right or other angular disposition with respect to each othermay be rigidly interconnected to form any desired contour thereat, suchas a rounded corner.

More specifically a girder comprises the outer rod III, the inner rod H,the diagonal braces I4, I 4 etc. and the short horizontal braces l2, [2etc. The braces l2 have their ends l5, l5 looped tightly around thecorresponding rods on the horizontal plane or normal to the axis of the.rods while the braces [4 have their ends l6, l6 similarly fashioned andsecured to rods. Between braceends l5 and I6 where they are adjacentthere is invariably provided, in the form being now described, a spaceH. Each end of each brace forms that which is hereinafter known as aloadsupporting or thrust collar or shoulder. At points where it is notexpedient to provide the type of braces shown, sheet metal gusset suchas I8, in' Figure 4, and such as 25, in Figure 6, may be employed andattached by welding.

The rods l and II are of relatively small diameter inexpensive roundsteel stock and irrespective of lengthv only the compression strengthand shear need be taken into consideration since it willappearhereinafter to those skilled in the art that bending moments of the rodsare absorbed by and distributed thru the entire steel structure intowhich the rods are incorporated.

'The braces are of even smaller diameter stock and are accurately formedand positioned by suitable jigs or fixtures employed in the manufactureof this girder to insure all spaces H and all ends I5, 16 etc., beingequally spaced with respect to another. Such uniformity and suchaccuracy is easily obtained in the manufacturing plant but to make thegirder easily transported after being manufactured, it is by reason ofthis invention thin and very light in weight. As at l 9 where the girderturns to extend over the roof area, both rods are integral and as shownin' Figure 6 may continue well up the corresponding slope of the roof.While a single girder should continue up one wall of the building overone roof slope, over the peak, down the other slope and back to thefoundation 25, it is sometimes necessary to have the girder in sections.Such sec-- tions however are joined by sleeves such as 2| which coverthe break 20 in the rods ends.. These sleeves are provided withelongated slots 22 which facilitate welding the rod ends to thecorresponding sleeve. Since a brace such as M, and other diagonal braceslater described, connected to opposite rods extend over the dividedarea, the entire sectional or multi-piece girder is just as strong as ifthe rods were not divided. In fact the girder is continuous in any eventand it is apparent from Figure 6 that the side walls and roof of thebuilding are all one.

The braces l2 and [4 have their principal extents tangential to the rodsto which they connect; braces I 2 being to one side of the girder andbraces Id to the other side so that greater strength is provided than ifthe axes of the braces were all normal to the axis of the rods. Wherethe braces tangentially connect with the rods, as well as at otherpoints of encompassment of the rods, they are securely welded so thatthe finished girder is an accurately assembled, strong and easilyhandled product furnished to the builder at less cost than he couldpossibly construct a similar article at the site.

Along with a plurality of such girders the man ufacturer supplies amultiplicity of members 3, hereinafter known as the diagonal braces, anda multiplicity of the simple members which are hereinafter known as thehorizontal connecting links. Before the foundation such as 25 is poured,or before there is need to anchor the girder to the foundation, two suchgirders are by any suitable means held side-by-side and connected asshown in Figure 2 first by connecting adjacent rods with the links 5, 5,5, etc.- These links are provided with the ends only partially looped asshown in Figure 5 so that they are readily hooked over the rods andthese loops are very slightly contracted in manufacture so that they area snug fit and will not readily dropout of place before being finallycinched. It will be understood that i any well known large size of wireforming or bending tool is finally employed to bend the ends 24 of thebraces 5 completely around the corresponding rods. The rods beingprovided with the spaces l7 between the brace ends l5 and I 6,'the links5 may be quickly and accurately positioned and the parts aremanufacturedso that an end 24 will initially fit easily but closely in a space I1.When the end 24 is finally cinched around the rod the slight deformationof the steel will cause the end 24 to fit very snugly in space H, sosecurely in fact that in moderate sizes of building there is no need toweld the end 24 to the rod since the ends I5 and I6 are securely weldedat the factory.

While there are various methods which will suggest themselves forinterconnecting the girders the following is one method which isadvocated: When two such girders are hooked together by the links 5 andbefore these links are cinched around the rods, the diagonal links suchas 3 are put in position and cinched around the rods until two girdersare interconnected thruout their lengths; whereupon the links 5 arefinally cinched around the rods. The reason for this will be apparenthereinafter.

The diagonal truss-links 3 are each identical factured sothat thepartially looped ends 24 thereof are accurately spaced. Since the mainextent of these loops are diagonal and since the shoulders l5 and I6provided on the girders are horizontal, the ends 24 of links 3- are bentto a horizontal plane by an accurate jig used in their manufacture.These links are of greater length thanthe spacing of the rods which theyare to interconnect. Therefore, while the two adjacent girders arehooked together in spaced relationship by the links 5, the links 3 whenheld horizontally will permit of their ends being hooked over the rodswhich they are to engage. Now from such position a link 3 may be turnedto rock its upper end up under the shoulder l5 or IE which it is to abutwhile the other end of the link 3 will be rocked into abutment with acorresponding .shoulder of the'othe'r rod which it is to engage.

Held in this position the act of cinching the ends of the links 3 aroundthe corresponding rods will result in one girder-being accuratelycentered with respect to the, other. These diagonal braces areconnected-as shown in Figure 1 until there is a pair oi diagonal bracesin each rectangular frame space bounded by two girders and two of thebraces 5, with one end of each diagonal brace connected to a girder rodandv with the other end connected to the other or opposite rod ofanother girder. These diagonal braces in addition to taking the majorpart of the load act at the same time to locate or position the girdersboth vertically and horizontally. The ends of these diagonal braces maybe welded to the rods if required but if welding is to be employed, orunder any condition, the ends of the horizontal links are cinched intoposition.

When these latter ends are finally clampedaround the rods there is afinal take-up of all slack and a slight forcible movement of the girdersinto closer proximity. This movement puts a final compression on theload-supporting diagonal braces which locks their ends 24 in finalposition against the shoulders provided by the ends l5 and i6respectively of the girder braces. In this way one girder after anotheris added to the structure until side walls and roof are complete.

An end wall composed of two units 33, fashioned the same as the sidewalls, is shown in Figure 6, and in this view is shown'the applicationof improvised or special links such as 26. These are used to join twowall sections when the diinension of a'wall is not a multiple of thegirder spacings. This wall is shown as provided with an opening or door31 which is formed by leaving out the corresponding ends of overheadgirders. Owing to the fact that both by the horizontal links and by thediagonal links each girder is connected to those girders at either sideof it, the entire structure is self supporting even where the girders donot continue down to the foundations.

Illustrating how a side wall and an end wall may be connected byimprovised links such as 28 and 21, I have shown in Figure 7 the ends oftwo walls at right angle to each other. The inner rods at the extremeends of these walls are interconnected by the short links 28 (also shownin Figure 6) and the outer rods l0 are intercom-- walls, garden walls,fences, etc.,- may be constructed from the same parts.

building to the foundation at the other side a complete covering such asindicated by the heavy line 30 in Figure 6 may be extended over theentire building and there are then no joints to leak at the roof peak orat the eaves.

It will be observed and particularly appreciat ed by those skilled inthe building arts that by reason of the accurate and interchangeableparts supplied by the manufacturer, little skill is required and whenthe building of full size is finished it will be found to have as muchstrength combined with, light weight as is found proportionately in awire-bird-cage.- Likewise, to use a homely but very apt comparison, theentire structure goes together with the ease, accuracy and dispatch ofmechanical erector toys.

When the structure or wall built by this method is complete and suitablyanchored in the foundation it will be found that all forces are evenlydistributed and resolved and since the shoulders l5 and I6 are welded tothe rods at close intervals there is'practically no opportunity forbending moment in .the rods and the total 'cross sectional area of therods,'even tho they be very small diameter stock, will be ample towithstand the compressive force of the entire build- 30 By theconstruction employed the planes of ing.

braces provide an excellent attachment for precast building slabs, flatwall tile, masonry veneers or the like but they are even better suitedto 'use as a foundation for, the less expensive wire and plaster or'wireand stucco walls. In-such case it is proposed to lay the usualcombination of paper or felt and hog-wire or lath contigous to theselinks with the wire. preferably held in slight spaced relationship tothe felt or paper by usual furring clips or the like.

Owing to the horizontal plane of the links 5 and their accuratedisposition, such combination of paper and wire may be actually stitchedto the frame by the use of fine wire so that when the monolithic plasterwall is eventually built up it becomes a substantially structural partof the frame as distinguished from .wood joist practice in which thestucco is held only by the sparse en-.- gagement of nail-heads with afew strands of wire. It will be apparent now that I have providedarticles of manufacture and a method or methods for fabricatingsame bytheir interconnection to form all types of buildings; all within theobjects of the invention. The foregoing disclosure has been quitespecific as to design of parts, construc- 'tion of. the entire buildingand as to the methods and steps to be followed; this being done only byway of example and to make a full disclosure of all ideas and inventionssuggested by this disclosure, and not with any intent to limit the scopeof this invention which is of a broad nature and braces connected attheir ends to interconnect said rods and thereat forming load supportingshoulders; said links formed for interconnection of a plurality of saidgirders and having rod-engaging ends formed to rest each inload-supporting engagement with a corresponding shoulder.

2. As an article of manufacture a. knock-down building franr'ecomprising a plurality of roundstock girders and a multiplicity oflinks; each girder comprising a pair of spaced round-stock rods held inspaced parallel relationship by spaced interconnecting braces havingtheir ends wound around said rods to form load-supporting shoulders;said links formed for interconnection of a plurality of such girders andhaving rod-engaging looped ends formed to rest each in load-supportingand girder-spacing abutment with a corresponding shoulder.

3. As an article of manufacture a knock-down building frame comprising aplurality of girders and a multiplicity of links having diagonal extentsand horizontal ends; said girders each comprising a pair of spacedparallel rods interconnected by spaced braces having their ends formingload supporting shoulders on said rods where they engage sam'e; saidlinks formed for interconnection of a plurality of said girders andhaving rod-engaging ends formed to rest each in loadsupporting andgirder-spacing abutment with said shoulders.

4. As an article of manufacture a knock-down building frame comprising aplurality of girders and a multiplicity of links; each girder comprisinga pair of spaced parallel rodsfand spaced braces connected at their endsto interconnect said rods and forming thereat groups of evenly spacedload supporting shoulders providing a defined space between eachadjacent pair of shoulders; said links formed for interconnection of aplurality of said girders and having rod engaging ends formed forabutment with said shoulders; some of said links formed for diagonalinterconnection of a forward rod of one girder with the rear rod ofanother girder; other of said links formed for positions normal to therods and with their ends to fit in the spaces provided betweenshoulders.

5. As an article of manufacture the combination of a plurality ofgirders and a multiplicity of links; each girder comprising a pair ofspaced parallel round rods held in position by braces having their endsturned about the corresponding rod to form shoulders thereat, and thelinks being formed with rod-engaging ends spaced to interconnect rods ofopposed girders by load-supporting abutment with said shoulders.

6. As an article of manufacture a knock-down building frame comprisingvertical rods formed with horizontal circumferential shoulders, saidshoulders being arranged in spaced pairs, and a multiplicity of linksfor interconnection of said rods having their ends originally bent inU-shape to hook over said rods and having been bent subsequently forcircumferential engagement of said rods; each end abutting acorresponding shoulder.

7. The frame as in claim 6 and further including; certain of said linkshaving their ends formed and positioned to lit in the spaces betweensaid shoulders to hold said rods in spaced position; other of said linkshaving their ends in abutment with a shoulder on one of said rodspositions the other end of said link in similar abutment with a shoulderon a diagonally opposed rod at a higher elevation.

8. The frame as in claim 6 and in which said rod-engaging ends of saidlinks are inclined with respect to intermediate parts of the link fordiagonal interconnection of adjacent rods.

9. As an article of manufacture a plurality of rods formed with evenlyspaced annular enlargements thereon forming load supporting shoulders,and a plurality of links formed originally with U ends for hookingengagement with said rods; said ends having been subsequently bentaround a rod; each bent end abutting an annular enlargement.

, 10. The article as in claim 9 and in which the ends of said links aredisposed on parallel planes and the intermediate portion of each link isinclined with respect to such plane so that one end of a link abuts oneshoulder on one rod and the other end abuts a shoulder at anotherelevation on a diagonally opposed rod.

11. The article as in claim 9 and in which the ends of certain of saidlinks are disposed on parallel planes and the intermediate portionthereof is inclined with respect to such plane so that one end of a linkabuts one shoulder of one rod and the other end abuts a shoulder atanother elevation on a diagonally opposed rod; other of said links beingshorter and having all portions on a common plane.

12. In a building frame the combination of four struts each formed withequally spaced load sup porting shoulders normal to their axis, a linkhaving one end looped around one of said struts and there-at resting onsaid shoulder with the other end correspondingly engaging a diagonallyopposite strut and abutting a shoulder on the second named strut athigher elevation, a second link having its ends similarly engaging ashoulder of the third strut corresponding to the shoulder first named onthe first named strut, with a shoulder on the fourth strut correspondingto the iirst named shoulder on the second named strut.

13. The frame as in claim 12 and further ineluding links disposed normalto the axes of said struts and tending to bring said struts into asmaller-dimension rectangular relationship and thereby placing the firstnamed links under compression between said shoulders.

14. The hereindescribed method for erecting a steel building consistingin first providing a plurality of rods with spaced load supportingshoulders, then linking the rods in spaced pairs, then linking the pairstogether in parallel spaced relationship, and then wedging diagonalbraces between the shoulders of each rod and the next uppermost orlowermost shoulder of a diagonally opposed rod. 1

15. The hereindescribed method for manufacturing and erecting a buildingconsisting in; placing pairs of rods in spaced relationship at thefactory and connecting them with braces having their ends turned aroundthe rods to form shoulders arranged in pairs with a space between eachpair, then transporting the so formed girder to the site, then erectingthe girder, then erecting a similar girder beside it, then looselylinking the girders together, then providing diagonal braces having rodencompassing ends spaced so that one end will abut-the underside of ashoulder of one rod of a girder while the other abuts the top surface ofa lower shoulder of the other rod of an adjacent girder, cinching thediagonal brace ends in such positions and then completing the eioreseidlinking together of the girders.

16. In a, building wall the combination of a plurality of rods arrangedin spaced rows, and links connecting the rods of one row with the rodsof the other row; each end of each link where it connects with a rodbeing in load-transmitting abutment with the corresponding end ofanother link; some of said links extending horizontally and someextending diagonally; some of the links extending from rods of one roweach to the directly opposed red of the other row; other links extendingIrom rods of one row each diagonally to a relatively offset rod of theother row; said links distributed evenly and eo-=extensively of the wellto form it homogeneous struc-- ture.

